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Tag Archive for: Stress

6 Foods To Help You Cope With Stress

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We’re all aware of the foods that can promote anxiety, such as alcohol, caffeine and fatty foods.  But what about the foods that help us feel energised, refreshed and calm?

Here are six foods which are great at helping to manage your anxiety. From getting your neurotransmitters the nutrients they need to lowering blood pressure – these foods are optimal for stress relief.

1. Almonds

Balance your mood with the zinc found in almonds. The iron they hold will assist you with brain activity. You will also benefit from the healthy fats they contain for the optimal functioning of your neurotransmitters.

You may not think that your tired brain is linked to your anxiety. However, a lack of mental energy can increase your anxiety when you have a fatigued state of mind.

2. Turkey

Put yourself to sleep with the tryptophan in turkey. Importantly, tryptophan does not only induce a restful sleep but also serves as a precursor to serotonin. Your serotonin secretion is believed to act as a mood stabilizer that can calm you down.

3. Avocados

Your super food for health truly is avocado. This is because it provides you with fibre, heart-healthy fatty acids, potassium and an abundance of vitamins!

Your blood pressure will thank you for eating avocado, as with their high levels of potassium -higher even than that found in bananas – they are fantastic at lowering blood pressure. Your neurotransmitters also receive vitamin B from avocado as well as monounsaturated fats. This allows them to function at their optimal.

4. Water

We all know that hydration is key to overall health and wellness. Therefore, it should not come as a surprise that it can assist in relaxation. It has been shown that even mild dehydration (when you start to feel thirsty) can have a large impact on your energy levels and general mood. Staying hydrated keeps your body regulated naturally and can result in lowered levels of anxiety.

5. Eggs

Your brain will operate at its best when assisted by the high levels of vitamin B in eggs. You will also assist your brain from becoming confused, irritable, or exhausted with the choline found in eggs.

6. Salmon

As a fish high in omega 3 fatty acids, salmon has been shown to help improve general mood and assist the brain in managing stress levels.

This article originally featured on longevitylive.com

How To Mange Stress In The Workplace

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By Dr Tara Swart

Everyone experiences stress regularly throughout their life and this is often due to deadlines at work, pressures with colleagues or just struggling to juggle work and home life. Overall, stress costs the UK economy nearly £6.5 billion each year and is linked to both mental and physical health risks, such as heart disease. In order to know how best to build up mental resilience it is important to understand the natural reactions the brain undergoes when we experience stress.

Stress occurs when we feel under threat, and causes our bodies to release the hormone cortisol, preparing us for ‘battle’ – literally a fight for survival. This natural reaction was developed as a result of years of evolution to ensure our physical survival. However, its effect is that blood is drawn away from parts of the brain deemed unnecessary for physical survival – functions such as rational decision-making, emotion regulation and empathy, which are essential for a productive working environment.

Since we all know we will experience stress frequently during our working lives it is important to understand how best to manage your natural instincts and build up your mental resilience. Most of us use our brain for our job so we must maintain its health, just as an elite athlete would train their bodies to stay in peak condition. You can keep your brain healthy by making small lifestyle changes and ensuring it properly fuelled, hydrated and rested.

Most people don’t realise that what they eat or drink can affect their ability to handle stress. Green leafy vegetables, beans and nuts all contain magnesium which will lower your levels of cortisol. Perhaps think of picking up some nuts instead of an unhealthy snack in future or simply get in the habit of taking magnesium supplements daily.

Practicing mindfulness is a great way reducing your levels of cortisol. If practised regularly three times a week mindfulness can actually enhance the brain’s performance due to the increased formation of folds in the prefrontal cortex. Whilst mindfulness is usually associated with meditation it can also be practised through yoga, whilst eating or even during your commute using a mindfulness app. For a quick fix you can even lower your cortisol levels by simply taking 10 deep breaths and increasing the oxygen flow to the brain.

In a world which constantly demands our attention, it can be tempting to blur your home and work life, however this will have a detrimental effect on your mental resilience. Try and resist the temptation to answer your emails in the evenings and at the weekends. Think about going on a digital detox completely for a day, weekend or even a whole week holiday. Going without your phone will also help boost your levels of oxytocin (the bonding hormone) as you are able to focus on bonding time with family and friends, and improve the quality of your sleep which is also essential to maintaining your brain’s health.

Whilst stress can often seem overwhelming, small changes to your lifestyle can make help improve your mental resilience and help you work better as an individual or as a team. So next time you feel stressed think about going for a walk, taking some deep breaths to oxygenate your brain or picking up a snack rich in magnesium.

Dr Tara Swart is a renowned neuroscientist, leadership coach, medical doctor and award-winning author. 

This article originally featured in hrfuture.net, May 2017, page 17.